Pros & Cons: Superluminova C3 vs fauxtina, why so much dislike of fauxtina?

[Dualmonitors]

Hi All:

I'm struggling between a regular Superluminova C3 flieger or a vintage colored lume, fauxtina version of the same.

I find the fauxtina version to be softer, rather attractive.

Yet, I see that there seems to be a great deal of dislike online for fauxtina watches.

Of course, I realize that it is an imposter of the real thing. Still, it offers a softer look, and may be rather versatile to pair with a wider variety of straps that are with distressed leather, or other leather options.

Yet, the regular Superluminova C3 version looks very crispy clean, and looks great with certain straps that make it look great too. Almost akin to a white shirt with a navy blazer - crisp and clean.

May I ask for thoughts, experienced wisdom, on choosing either the Superluminova C3 or the vintage colored lume version?

Btw, by vintage lumed version, I do NOT mean the totally distressed look of a Laco. I mean merely a more ecru/vanilla/lightly yellowish version of the lume on the hands and the hour markers.

Thank you in advance.

[ninja2789]

I feel people who dislike the fauxtina point towards the unauthenticity of it all. Patina is developed through aging / time / experiences lived with the watch. To fabricate that seems like more of a "cash grab" by making the design aesthetics seem more vintage.

In a way, Superluminova is the complete opposite spectrum. Bright. Utilitarian. Functional. But at the same time it lacks the warmth of a softer custard color of a patinaed lume.

To me, buy what you like. I find this hobby to be such a physical/visceral experience that I don't really see the point of wearing something that doesn't speak to me. I'm a huge fan of the fauxpatina on the 60th Speedy Reissue, but would hate it on a Doxa Black Lung reissue. So in a way, the application of the color has to match the history of what I'm looking at.

[Mark lowman]

Definitely buy what you like after trying it on. every week I read group think saying something is horrible , why is that selling at a premium? etc . However the world keeps on turning and the Seamaster Commander keeps on selling ( see hatred post lol)
I’m actually tempted on an older and not mega costly Heuer Quartz of mine to have the Tritium stripped and get it lumed shock horror! having quite a few vintage divers I’ve got beautiful watches that I can’t read at night. So to me a vintage style fauxtina would be excellent.
Those watches with Lumenova I’m happy with as well.

[bobbee]

Definitely buy what you like after trying it on. every week I read group think saying something is horrible , why is that selling at a premium? etc . However the world keeps on turning and the Seamaster Commander keeps on selling ( see hatred post lol)
I’m actually tempted on an older and not mega costly Heuer Quartz of mine to have the Tritium stripped and get it lumed shock horror! having quite a few vintage divers I’ve got beautiful watches that I can’t read at night. So to me a vintage style fauxtina would be excellent.
Those watches with Lumenova I’m happy with as well.

Good call.

[Ashtennisguru]

Btw, by vintage lumed version, I do NOT mean the totally distressed look of a Laco.

I really, really like that distressed B-Uhr from LAco, it looks amazing in pictures, would love to see one in the real.

[Valkyrie]

What colour will faux vintage lume go when it gets old?


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[MarkO]

I’m not sure if you would call this faux aged lume or just yellow colored lume - white would look completely wrong on this face .

[hafle]

I think many look great, but I'm just a bit out off by the notion. I like the patina because of what it represents. What I really dislike though are reissues with faux aged lume. It should be a reissue of the watch as it was sold, not a reissue of a fabulously expensive vintage piece as it is now. It almost comes across like the fakes or homage argument of simply buying it because you can't afford the real thing.

[Neilw3030]

I definitely think there is a place for reissues with a vintage look, including modern designs with Faux aged lume, a vintage inspired watch would look odd with stark white lume, but then again that would depend on dial colour also. Wear what you like the look of, you are the one looking at it everyday.

[Kallang]

It sounds like you already have full grasp of why some people dislike it, myself included. It just seems a bit disingenuous. But if you like it all the same then why should that stop you from getting what you like?

[hafle]

I definitely think there is a place for reissues with a vintage look, including modern designs with Faux aged lume, a vintage inspired watch would look odd with stark white lume, but then again that would depend on dial colour also. Wear what you like the look of, you are the one looking at it everyday.

Why are they not just able to replicate the colour of the lume as it would have looked 50 years ago? Noone thought they looked odd when they were first sold. I just think that if you are going to reissue a watch, then it should be a reissue of that watch, not a modern take of how it looks 50 years later. To me that isn't a reissue of a vintage watch, but a modern copy of a contemporary watch.

[walkerwek1958]

Agree with the above comments, re-issue watches with faux aged lume just look wrong. I like the idea of re-issue watches but usually they’re way too big and the lume’s trying to look aged.

I don’t like aged lume even when it’s genuine! Currently got an Omega 3510.50 Speedy reduced on the bench from mid-90s with tritium lume that’s aged to a cream colour. My own 2004 model has superluminova lume and it looks as sharp as the day I bought it........I know which I prefer!

I’m happy to create the aged lume look on hands to match aged lume on the dial, that’s totally different, but faux aged lume is a no-no.

Paul

[James_]

Looks great but it's a bit cheesy when you think about it.

[verv]

I like it. It softens when sometimes bright white lume can look sterile.

Human nature to repeat what's been heard hence the fauxtina fauxtina chanting but it's essentially just a colour choice. Why let anyone else influence that?

[td1596]

i find it all depends on the watch and the colour of the 'fauxtina'. it's really just part of the design, a colour choice, and if it looks good i've got zero issue with it!